Sheila joined Bruce on board his ship, m.v. Clan Matheson for a voyage around Africa.
The crew on board were Bangladeshis who took an instant liking to this lovely young bride. The deck crew bhandari (chef) offered to teach her to make genuine curries. She agreed little knowing that this would mean a tap on the door at 0500 every day. "Memsahib, curry time". She then sat on a bollard in the cold dawn, with a mug of cha and spent the next couple of hours pounding spices and chopping meat and vegetables. The deck crew loved this so much that as a group they invited her out to the movies in Mombasa, brave girl, she said she enjoyed the experience although bollywood films had not yet reached their present colourful musical format. For the film she was given the honorary stool, the only seat.
She never forgot these times, or her much later experiences on board with Sri Lankan crews where she learned a whole new take on curries.
She made the most glorious curries for us all for the rest of her life.